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by TheDCD on 03.29.11  You’ve seen one Naruto game, you’ve seen them all, right? Well, on occasion, there is the “odd man out” that tends to be a little bit different, even if it isn’t everyone’s speed. This time around, it’s Naruto Shippuden: Kizuna Drive, and while we wouldn’t exactly call it the next great Naruto game, it’s got some anime style appeal packed into a unique teamwork format. The more people you have to play it, the more mileage you’ll get out of it.
The game starts off with a village being attacked and Naruto and his clan being blamed for it. Of course, they’re innocent, so they’ll spend a great deal of time trying to clear their names while beating up a lot of folks in their sights. It’s typical Naruto filler, but by the same token, at least it’s not copying a familiar storyline from the long-running anime series. Gotta give credit where credit is due. As you proceed through the game, you’ll be introduced to a variety of characters from Naruto’s world, including long-time compadres Sakura and Kakashi, along with Shikamaru, Choji, Rock Lee and a handful of others. You can coordinate your group of four to see who’s most effective in battle, though the combat itself doesn’t really change much over the course of the game. Attack using special chakra moves and brawling techniques, and proceed on as a group. Like I said, the game really excels when you add multiple players. This was built for four player combat, though you’ll need four PSP’s and four copies of the game – sorry, no Game Sharing – in order to get the most out of it. It’s a lot to ask, but if you have local friends in the anime community, you might just be lucky enough to set up a team. Otherwise, we really can’t see why Namco Bandai couldn’t turn on Game Sharing. Would’ve gone MUCH simpler, we think. The gameplay itself, while repetitive, is solid, and there’s some good battles you’ll run across here, including bigger ones who are less than kind to your party. It all depends how much you enjoy the Naruto franchise, and whatever gameplay comes out of it. It’s not the usual format, though, so at least that sort of works. The only downside is, if you’re on your own, the AI is basic at best. You’re better off finding a group, really. While the game doesn’t look amazing, it is styled after the anime series, right down to the character animations and the pleasant look of each village, so we won’t discount that. Kudos also to the sound, as you can choose between English and Japanese soundtracks, though some lines tend to repeat. It isn’t the end of the world. The music rocks, too.
Naruto Shippuden: Kizuna Drive isn’t for everyone, especially if you’re a solo player. However, if you’ve got local anime fans running amuck with PSP’s that don’t mind forking over $30-$40 for the game and hooking up with you in AdHoc, there might just be some fun ninja times ahead.
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